nobody is -- >> mr. vice president -- >> reporter: and what a contrast. throughout the debate, biden smiled. smirked. grinned and cackled. >> medicare and social security are going bankrupt. >> reporter: ryan was earnest, intense, super see use. and they grappled all night. on the economy, biden unloaded, attacking mitt romney where president obama had not, on that video tape where romney called 47% of the american people victims who won't take responsibility for their lives. >> these people are my mom and dad, the people i grew up with. my neighbors. they pay more effective tax than governor romney pays on his federal income tax. >> reporter: ryan got personal. >> joe and i are from similar towns. he's from pennsylvania, i'm from wisconsin. you know what the unemployment rate in scranton is today? >> i sure do. >> it's 10%. >> yeah. >> you know what it was the day you guys came in? 8.5%. that's how it's going all around america. >> reporter: for a vice presidential debate, the stakes were high tonight. after mitt romney's big win in denver and president